Spiced Cloud Apple Cake with Rum-Pickled Apples

Serves: 8–10

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Ingredients

For the cake
• 3–4 Marlene apples, peeled and diced
• 180 g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 150 g sugar
• 120 g browned butter (cooled)
• 2 large eggs
• 150 ml sour cream or full-fat yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon

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For the vanilla–spice siphon cream
• 250 ml heavy cream
• 120 ml whole milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 60 g sugar
• 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp paste)
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom pods, crushed
• Pinch of salt
• 1 N₂O siphon cartridge

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For the rum-pickled apples
• 1 large Marlene apple, thinly sliced
• 100 ml water
• 80 ml sugar
• 50 ml white wine vinegar
• 30 ml dark rum
• 1 small cinnamon stick

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Instructions

1. Make the rum-pickled apples
1. Heat water, sugar, vinegar and cinnamon until the sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat, add the rum.
3. Pour over the thinly sliced apples and allow to rest for at least 1 hour (or overnight).

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2. Prepare the cake
1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease a 20–22 cm cake tin.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
3. In another bowl, mix sugar, browned butter, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest.
4. Add sour cream, then fold in the dry ingredients.
5. Gently mix in the diced Marlene apples.
6. Pour into the tin and bake for 40–50 minutes, until golden and moist.
7. Cool slightly before serving — the cake should remain juicy.

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3. Make the vanilla–spice siphon cream
1. Heat milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom until steaming.
2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar separately.
3. Temper the yolks with the warm mixture, then heat gently to 82°C to thicken slightly.
4. Strain, cool to room temperature, then pour into a siphon.
5. Charge with one N₂O cartridge, shake gently and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

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To serve

Place a warm slice of apple cake on a plate. Add a cloud of vanilla–spice foam from the siphon. Finish with rum-pickled apples and a spoonful of the pickling liquid for brightness.